Elements and Materials

Space Frame

Structural Principle

Citation Formats

General Reference

Architecture and Design Atlas. "Space Frame." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://architecture.interactiveatlas.org/elements/space-frame.

APA Style

Architecture and Design Atlas. (n.d.). Space Frame. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://architecture.interactiveatlas.org/elements/space-frame

BibTeX

@misc{architectureanddesignatlas-space-frame,
  author = {Architecture and Design Atlas},
  title = {Space Frame},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://architecture.interactiveatlas.org/elements/space-frame},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

A rigid, lightweight three-dimensional truss built from struts arranged in a repeating geometric lattice, distributing structural load across the whole framework rather than to a small number of points. The form allows wide, column-free spans for roofs and enclosures and is associated with the structural experiments of Buckminster Fuller and with the modular MERO system developed by Max Mengeringhausen.

Facts

Element Kind

Structural Principle 1

First Used Era

Twentieth century, developed from the early 1900s and widespread from the 1960s 1

Cross-Tradition Connections